What's On Scotland 5-12 Oct: Cocktails in The City
It's a boozy affair on Scottish shores this week, with two cocktail festivals and the return of Oktoberfest. Plus, a Late Nite Tuff Guy Prince tribute show, SMHAFF and more...
Scotland's practically swimming in cocktail events this week – but since when was a cornucopia of delightfully mixed drinks in gorgeous bars a problem? Since never, actually. First up, Edinburgh Cocktail Weekend graces the capital's loveliest drink haunts between 6-8 Oct, bringing specially-designed signature cocktails to the weekend's participating bars. Following that, Cocktails in The City hits the capital between 12-13 Oct, uniting 20 Edinburghian drinkeries in a mission to bring cocktails, masterclasses, DJs and tasty food to a party-ready public and Mansfield Traquair (6pm, £12 tickets include a welcome cocktail).
Luiz Roque: HEAVEN
Tramway, Glasgow, until 15 Oct (not Mon), 12-5pm, free
Head to Tramway for the European premier of Luiz Roque's intense film set in 2080, when the the Epstein-Barr virus has mutated into something more aggressive. The cast comprises transgender people in a plot which illustrates the health and sociopolitical implications of this virus for trans people.
A Mass Observation Field Trip
Collective, Edinburgh, 7 Oct, 3.30pm, free
Meet at Collective on Calton Hill, take a set of prompts and questions and head out as part of a 'mass observation' with artists Lloyd and Wilson around a selection of pubs. Then, head back to one of the larger watering holes for a group chinwag about your findings. Art + pubs = bliss.
ADVERTISEMENT | ARTIST ROOMS: Music from the Balconies - Ed Ruscha and Los Angeles
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, Until 29 April 2018, Admission free
Comprising photographs, paintings and drawings dating from the early 1960s to the 2000s, this
striking free display explores Ruscha’s fascination with West Coast American culture.
Ed Ruscha, The Music from the Balconies © Ed Ruscha. ARTIST ROOMS National Galleries of Scotland and Tate. Acquired jointly through The d’Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Art Fund 2008 © DACS 2017
Prince x Late Nite Tuff Guy
SWG3, Glasgow. 7 Oct, 9pm
This week 'King of the edit' Late Nite Tuff Guy takes a journey back to celebrate the life's work of one of the greatest showmen, producers and songwriters to ever grace a stage. The party makes its way to Edinburgh when it hits Bongo on 13 Oct (10pm, £15).
SMHAFF
10-29 Oct, venues, times and prices vary, see programme here
Guys. Scotland has a Mental Health Arts and Film Festival. We know that's not news to you – it's been around for 11 years, after all – but it's a pretty incredible feat, isn't it? Like always, this year's programme is bursting with theatre, film, music, comedy, visual arts and literary events. Oh, and the cherry atop this delightfully progressive cake? This year's festival theme is 'Reclaim'. Mic drop. Image: Jamie Wardrop
Oktoberfest
Princes Street gardens, Edinburgh, 11-15 Oct, prices vary
If you're not all boozed out by Scotland's various cocktail events, grab a stein at Edinburgh's Oktoberfest, down at Princes Street Gardens. There'll be all the usual décor, costumes, live entertainment and bevvies. You know the score; turn up, sink a beer within unconvincingly Bavarian environs, wonder if next year you should just maybe go to Germany for a bit instead. Image: Patrik Kristian
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Eastern Promise
Platform, Glasgow. 6 & 7 Oct, times vary
Platform's multi-platform festival Eastern Promise returns for its seventh year this month, and they're expanding beyond music to bring visual art and performance to their two-day programme; pairing Lost Map act Pictish Trail with Make a Hoo and Visible Cloaks; and RM Hubbert and Sexual Objects withAchilles, Leyla Josephine's Hopeless, Pauline And The Matches and Colin James Tennant's Paint it Red. Buses leave Mono at 6pm on 6 Oct, and 4.30pm on 7 Oct.
Peaness
Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh. 7 Oct, 7pm
Alcopop!-signed indie-pop trio Peaness give their April EP Are You Sure the live treatment this week across Scotland. The stellar Sneaky Pete's line-up on 7 Oct features dark pop artist Mt. Doubt (aka Leo Bargery) and grrrl gang (and Girls Rock School alumni) Tonguetrap. If you're in Glasgow, see them at The Hug and Pint on 5 Oct, and Aberdonians can catch them at The Tunnels on 6 Oct (both 7pm).
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Each week The Skinny team hand pick a selection of events from the Scottish cultural calendar to provide you with this guide to the most exciting goings on in the week ahead. From gigs, plays and exhibitions to spoken word and pop up cake shops, we give you the insider's guide to things to do in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee every Thursday morning.